


Lost in the Woods

by Ravens_Ire



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Jealous Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Kid Fic, Kid Jaskier | Dandelion, M/M, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24365527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravens_Ire/pseuds/Ravens_Ire
Summary: Geralt finds a small child crying alone in the woods and is instantly swept up in the force of nature that is Jaskier.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 76
Kudos: 432





	1. Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic! Sorry if it sucks. This work will start with Jaskier as a child and will follow his and Geralt's relationship as he grows up.

“Hrmf” Geralt grunted as yet another branch smacked across his face. He tightened his grip on Roach’s halter as he leaned low across the saddle, careful not to touch the mangled head of the Griffin strapped in front of him. Although it probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference, the gore from the fight slowly dried into a sticky mess across his face and torso. Begrudgingly he peered around looking for a source of water to clean some of the blood and guts off before it began to crust to his skin. He was familiar with the incessant itching the dried blood would illicit if not cleaned off soon. Nothing but thick trees in every direction. The Griffin had made it’s nest deep in the forest nestled in a crevice carved out of the mountain side. It took three days for Geralt to locate the monster and he had long run out of the small amount of supplies he was able to purchase from the innkeeper. The small farming town had been down on its luck even before the Griffin began picking off livestock and tearing up fields. A drought had come across the land a few years prior and everyone was suffering. The wealthier villages were able to import supplies from other kingdoms or beg boon from their noble’s winter storage. Unluckily, this village was too far off the beaten path and too unessential to curry favor with their Duke and so had been left to scrounge the forest for what little game was left and pray to the river gods to fill their wells once more. The famine had made scavengers of all creatures in this area, including the griffin. Driven by hunger, the usually reclusive creature had gone looking for easy prey. Which it found in the form of the farmer’s sheep and the tailor’s youngest. 

Geralt sighed in gratitude as they emerged from the trees and he was once again able to straighten in his saddle, Roach having found the path leading back to the small village that had hired his services. He adjusted the poor creatures' oozing head and nudged Roach into a canter. The faster he reached the village the quicker he could scrub the scent of death off his skin. Not that the scent ever truly left him. He had smelled of death since he became a Witcher when he was 8...9? It was hard to remember. With every passing year the memories of his time as a human fading. But that's besides the point, death was his now, whether he claimed it or it claimed him, it followed him where he went.

Suddenly Roach stopped and nickered. Geralt instantly tensed and unsheathed his blade. No matter how heightened his senses were from being a witcher, Roach often could sense danger minutes before he could and she had saved his life more times than he could count. He closed his eyes and listened to try and discern what had spooked Roach. Off in the distance he heard a sniffle. A boar? No, it was too high pitched. A whimper. It was a child. He slid from Roach’s saddle landing lightly on the ground and had enough foresite to cover the griffin head with a spare blanket. He knew that if a child was crying it wasn’t in immediate danger. The wails from the many children he had seen slaughtered by monsters, both human and beastial alike, told him that a crying child was in no immediate danger. Gruff as he might be on the outside, he couldn’t leave a child alone in the woods. He might have cleared out the largest threat in the area but there were still many things that could cause the child’s death if it were left alone. Wolves, bears, hypothermia, infection, dehydration. The last being the most likely with the constant blubbering the child was currently doing. 

He sighed once more and grabbed Roach’s reins and led her back into the forest in the direction of the muffled sobs. Roach nickered and bit at his hair. 

“I know girl” he murmured. “We will be back to the village soon and you can rest as soon as we take care of this...little problem.”

She looked at him sideways and he could feel her skepticism at his words. When had his problems ever remained small.

“Hey, I promise, 15 minutes or less, then we leave back to the village.” Roach seemed to shrug her shoulders and humph in his ear, apparently ceding to his judgement. He patted her across the shoulders in silent thanks as they moved deeper into the woods.

The cries became clearer a few minutes in and he could distinguish from the pitch of the voice it was most likely a small boy, between the ages of 7-10. He gracefully weaved through the trees, relying on his ears to take him in the correct direction and quickly found himself in a small clearing. The boy was curled up next to a tree with his face buried in his skinned knees and his arms wrapped around both legs. His slight frame trembling with each heave of breath. His thick brown hair, that Geralt could tell was once perfectly coiffed, was now askew and littered with small branches and leaves. So lost in his sorrow, the boy failed to notice Geralt’s approach. Geralt didn’t want to scare the boy out of his wits so he scanned the ground and chose a rather large pine cone to crush underfoot. The loud crunch echoed across the clearing and the boy jumped to his feet, his breath still hiccuping. The look of unadulterated horror that passed over the small boy's face reminded Geralt that in his haste to make his presence known and not give the small boy a heart attack, he had forgotten that he was still bathed in the guts of the Griffin. And that he was now standing, in full armor, wielding a blade, with guts and blood covering almost every surface. He awkwardly tried to pull his lips up into a comforting smile to salvage the situation. 

The cornflower blue eyes widened comically and a small whimper left the boy’s lips as his legs began to tremble. 

“Ah damn,” the witcher thought, remembering the unnaturally sharp canines he had just put on full display. 

He looked to Roach pleadingly, hoping that the vicious creature would have mercy and use her large doe eyes to help placate the situation. What young boy didn’t love a good horse? But the stupid creature was no help, blissfully eating the new grass shoots that had sprouted in the clearing where some sun had leaked through the thick branches of the trees. 

Sheepishly trying to wipe at least some of the blood from his face, he slowly approached, to the boy’s impending horror. 

The kid stumbled back and tripped over a root landing on the ground again with an oof, quickly bringing his arms up in front of his face in a defensive position. 

“Hey now kid, no need to be afraid” Geralt said and then winced at his own voice. He normally communicated with the villagers in a series of grunts and noncommittal noises and his voice came out gruff and underused. Probably making him seem like more of a savage to the kid, he thought. Surprisingly, the kid slowly peered through his fingers. His large blue doe eyes sparked with curiosity.

“Are you a ghost?” He asked with suspicion.

A ghost? Geralt’s mind stuttered. Why did the kid think he was a ghost?

“Uh...no?”

“Oh good!” The child leaped up and ran towards Geralt. Throwing his arms around his waist and then peering up at Geralt grinning merrily. 

“Wha-”

Geralt was cut off as the kid began babbling. 

“You know, Stevie said that this forest was full of ghosts and that if you got caught by one, not that I would ever be caught, I’m quite fast you know, that they would steal your soul. And then the witches would spell your body and you would become a zombie. Forced to feast on the flesh of their enemies. See, I don’t ever believe what Stevie says. He is a liar. But all the other kids believed him, but not me, ‘cause I am smart. But there was no way to prove him wrong, you know? So I told him I would go into the forest and check that there were no ghosts for myself. I’m not afraid. My mom always tells me that I am really brave. But the forest was so far away. But I snuck onto one of the trader’s caravans. I am really sneaky. But I feel asleep and fell out of the caravan, but I wasn’t afraid or anything”

At this he narrowed his eyes at Geralt, as if trying to discern if he believed him. The evidence of his previous panic still drying on his face.

Geralt took a deep breath but before he could get a word in edgewise, the kid seemed to determine that Geralt believed that he had been completely in control of the situation and he plowed on. 

“And then you came into the clearing and your hair is really white, how did you get white hair, are you old? Did you get too scared? My mom says if you get surprised by something scary your hair can go straight white. That is what happened to my grandfather. He said that on his wedding day, when the dutchess came down the aisle and they lifted her veil, she was so ugly it surprised the brown right out of his hair! Is that what happened to you? Are you married to an ugly lady?”

At this the child paused and looked up expectantly at Geralt, his nose scrunched up and remnant tears still drying on his face but eyes alight with wonder and life. 

Geralt just sat there with his mouth agape. Never had a child spoken to him or touched him without any trace of fear. The kid had loosened his grip around Geralt’s waist and now instead had one hand gripping his leather shirt tightly. As if once he let go, Geralt would disappear. 

“Uh...what” he said dumbly.

“Are you married to an ugly lady?” The kid repeated. “My grandpa is ugly, he is all wrinkly, so it makes sense he got married to a matching ugly lady. You are not ugly though. Did an ugly lady trick you into marrying her?”

“Um, I’m not married” Geralt choked out.

By this time the child had noticed Roach and had stopped paying attention to Geralt, other than the tight fist still clenched in his shirt. 

“Ohhhh a horsie!” He exclaimed running forward to pet her trying to drag Geralt along with him. Geralt was starting to get over his initial shock and quickly planted his feet grabbing the boy’s wrist and pulling him back. Roach had taken off people’s fingers for looking at her wrong. He shuddered to think what she might do if the kid touched her. He spun the kid around and knelt down to look him in the eyes. It was time to get some answers. 

Obviously this kid was nobility, he had mentioned his grandfather had married a duchess and his fancy embroidered vibrant blue shirt and tailored pants spoke of wealth, even if they were currently dirty and ripped from his adventure in the woods. He also spoke with a confidence that indicated that he had been educated. Which meant tutors and books. Both of which were not cheap. 

Once he was sure the kid’s eyes were fixed on him and were no longer straying to the side to look longingly at Roach, he grunted out “Name”.

“Oh, Jaskier!” He said with the same enthusiastic shout that seemed to accompany everything he said. 

“Last name?”

“Pankratz” he said proudly. 

Well shit. A high brow then. That name accompanied one of the wealthiest families in the surrounding cities. Well known for their patronage of the arts and their generosity with their coffers during these trying times. They were well liked and well respected, and if one of their own was lost in these woods, he could be sure there would soon be an influx of soldiers and well to doers tramping through the forest looking for the little scamp. Although it meant he would probably have to deal with the niceties and inane rules that came along with dealing with nobility, this was ultimately a blessing. It meant someone would be looking for the child and if he dumped him off at the nearest village he would almost certainly be delivered back to his family, well fed and no worse for the wear after his little adventure. 

He was surprised out of his own thoughts when he felt a small hand push itself into his and weave into his fingers. The ki- Jaskier swung their newly linked appendages together as he asked “what’s yours?”

“Geralt” he grunted. He noticed that some of the blood that had not completely dried on his shirt had gotten on Jaskier’s cheek during his spontaneous hug. He hesitantly reached out and slowly wiped it from his face. Jaskier just grinned up at him.

“You’re a warrior right?” he said. “You have a sword and armor and a horse. And you have blood on you, that means you were in battle? Oh! Are you a knight! I want to be a knight when I grow up. I’m not very good with a sword yet but I’ve been practicing every day. Will you teach me how to fight? I have a tutor but he is old and boring. He just makes me practice the same forms over and over and over. I can tell Daddy that you can be my new tudor. Daddy always listens to me.” Jaskier continued swinging their arms together.


	2. Little Octopus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fluff as Geralt has to deal with Jaskier's antics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. The next chapter will have more plot to it, I promise.

Geralt groaned as he buried his head in his hands. How was this his life? 

He had eventually convinced Jaskier to stop talking long enough for them to set out towards the town. I mean, did the child ever breathe?! Trying to stop the flood of words was like trying to stop a river with your hands. He still didn’t trust Roach not to attack the child and he didn’t particularly want to explain the Griffin head to Jaskier, afraid that this gruesome evidence of his violent nature would finally put the fear back in the child’s eyes. 

So they started out their 2 hour walk back to the village with Geralt leading Roach on one side and Jaskier on the other. He wondered if this is what being a parent felt like. He was constantly having to shove Roach back as she tried to stamp out the annoying constant noise that was Jaskier and slap Jaskier’s hands away and he sneakily tried to reach behind Geralt’s back to pet Roach. 

Within the first half an hour he was put through a crash course on Jaskier’s life. He learned quite quickly that he couldn’t just tune the child out and nod along as the child spewed out his stream of consciousness. Jaskier, obviously used to being ignored, would stop randomly and ask very pointed questions, his sharp eyes searching for any sign Geralt had not been paying attention. So Geralt was forced to listen to every inane detail of this little monster’s life. He was pretty sure he knew more about this child than everyone he had met in the last 50 years combined.

After half an hour is where the real trouble began. He had just extricated himself from Jaskier, which was a painful process in and of itself. Jaskier felt the need to be touching Geralt in some way at any time. When Geralt first unlaced their fingers so he could adjust Roach’s saddle he immediately felt Jaskier latch onto his pants, gripping his tiny fingers deep into the material. Jaskier was like an octopus. The more Geralt tried to brush him off, the more of Jaskier he found latched to himself. By the end of this struggle, Jaskier had his entire body wrapped around Geralt’s leg with his face smashed into his thigh, giggling as Gerlat attempted and failed to shake him off. 

Soon after he finally freed himself from the menace he heard a thump behind him and turned around to see Jaskier face planted in the earth. Panic welled up in him and was about to rush to the prone figure when Jaskier dramatically rolled over and spread his arms wide open in the dirt. 

“I’m tired” he announced to the world, like he expected the trees to bend to his will and carry him the rest of the way.

“We still have a ways to go,” Geralt growled at him.

Jaskier rolled onto his side so he could easily address Geralt. “How long though?” he whined. “If I walk another step my legs are going to fall off. This burning sensation cannot be natural. I can’t be a cripple! If I lose my legs how am I going to travel the world fighting monsters?!” At this he flopped back onto his back. “I have accepted my fate. Leave me to my death!” he declared. Geralt caught his eyes shift quickly sideways to assess whether his performance had garnered the appropriate level of sympathy. 

“Okay” Geralt mused and continued onward, pulling Roach along with him. 

“No!” He heard the squeak behind him and was immediately tackled from behind. He tensed up and had to stop himself from reaching behind him and throwing the threat to the ground. He could feel Jaskier scurry up his back and wrap the small arms around his neck. Jaskiers breath was hot on his ear as Jaskier used his octopus skills to glomb onto Geralt expertly. 

“Get off” Geralt shook himself trying to dislodge Jaskier without hurting him. 

“Nooooo!” Jaskier just wound himself tighter around Geralt. 

Geralt had had enough. “Jaskier...get off NOW” he roared. Jaskier slowly unwound himself from Gerlat’s neck but not before he felt the wetness of tears hit his neck. He sighed and turned around to see Jaskier’s dejected form behind him, quickly trying to wipe away the tears before Geralt could notice. Why...why did HE have to find a child in the woods. He had never really been a child himself. He didn’t know how to deal with all this. He raked his hands through his hair furiously. 

“FINE” he conceded. 

Jaskier peered up at him. Geralt just opened his arms and studiously looked away. With a shriek of glee Jaskier launched himself onto Geralt and climbed up his shirt until he could wrap his arms around his neck and his legs around his chest. Now Geralt just had to figure out what to do with his arms. If he left them by his side they would constantly be hitting the legs clinging to his waist. But he had never held a child before. He slowly brought his hands up and rested them on the child’s back, providing support. Jaskier just sighed happily and tucked his face into the crook of Geralt's neck and relaxed completely. 

This was….different Geralt thought. Not bad necessarily, just...different. He shifted Jaskier’s weight to one hand so he could pick up Roach’s halter again and continue onward. It took him 10 minutes to notice something was off. Jaskier was being...quiet. He realized the breath against his neck had slowed and the heartbeat pounding against his shoulder was now a soft thump. At least he wouldn’t have to listen to the child the rest of the way he determined as he smoothed his pace and continued onward down the path to the small village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter Geralt meets Jaskier's parents...dun dun DUN.


	3. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geralt receives a less than warm welcome from Jaskier's parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just can't stop posting updates today. There will be time skips after this chapter so this is the last of baby Jaskier :(

Geralt was surprised when he found himself at the edge of the woods. It hadn’t seemed like hours since Jaskier had nodded off. The unfamiliar warm body heating his chest had lulled him into a peaceful meditative state as he walked through the woods and he found himself more relaxed than he had been in months. 

He paused before he emerged from the trees. He could smell a large gathering of humans over the strong overpowering scent of Lavender and honey. Did the kid bath in it? Maybe that was how all children smelled. It didn’t matter. He’d probably never be allowed close enough to another child again to find out. 

He shook Jaskier gently. Walking into a crowd of people with a motionless child slung over his shoulder was an all around bad idea. Jaskier murmured nonsense and buried himself deeper against Geralt. 

“Jaskier, you have to wake up” Geralt insisted. Jaskier blurrily opened his eyes and lifted his head off the shoulder, leaving behind a wet spot on Geralt’s shirt. He focused on Geralt’s face and then turned to look around. Geralt decided he looked aware enough that the villagers would wait to hear Geralt’s story of how he came across the child rather than just attack him.

He walked out of the woods and noted almost the entire village (20-30 people) were gathered around a dozen soldiers with maps spread all over the floor pointing out the popular routes used by traders and the geography of the surrounding forest. Slightly apart from the group was a man and a woman, clutching each other and listening even more raptly to the villagers than the soldiers. They were both dressed in finery and vibrant colors.

Not one to make the same mistake twice, Geralt looked down at Jaskier who was almost asleep again on his shoulder...dammit. He attempted to wipe some of the blood off that had again gotten on the child’s face, courtesy of using Geralt as a pillow, before clearing his throat to get the gathering's attention. All heads whipped up almost in unison to stare at the approaching Witcher and his small burden. 

The woman was the first to react. “Jaskier” she gasped. Ah, so the mother then. The man kept his eyes locked on Geralt’s, not even sparing a glance for his son. Jaskier had once again woken when Gerlalt cleared his throat and turned to see his parents.

“Mom, Dad!” He cried out with glee right in Geralt’s sensitive ears. He winced a bit. Jaskier’s mother clung to his father’s arm. Geralt was sure her nails were probably drawing blood with the fervor of her grip. The man spoke quietly but clearly “What will it take to get our son back.”

Jaskier looked on with confusion. “Mom, Dad, I’m right here.” He waived half halfheartedly. His father continued to stare straight at Geralt. 

“What are your demands you _Monster _.” He spat once more.__

__At this Jaskier looked troubled. He turned back to Geralt and whispered in his ear, “Geralt, why can’t they see me? Am I a ghost?! I’m not a ghost right Geralt? You can see me. Why can’t they see me?”_ _

__Geralt just grunted and carefully lifted Jaskier away from him and set him lightly on the ground, turned him around and gave him a nudge toward his parents. Still looking slightly troubled, Jaskier ran towards his parents and to his relief they pulled him into their arms. But to his surprise they quickly shoved him behind them._ _

__Geralt turned around with a pained expression and started to walk away. He could hear Jaskier babbling to his parents about his new friend Geralt and how he was going to have the best tutor in the _world _and how all of his friends were going to be _so _jealous. He heard Jaskier’s parents shushing him and his loud exclamation of confusion. Gerlat picked up his pace when he could feel Jaskier’s gaze turn back to Geralt._____ _

______“Geralt? Geralt, where are you going?!” He yelled. Geralt could hear the struggle that ensued as he was sure Jaskier was struggling to get free of his parents. Geralt refused to turn around. “Mom, I have to grab Geralt, he is going the wrong way! He doesn’t know where the castle is!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Geralt felt a strange pricking at his eyes. He really needed to wash the blood off his face. Obviously the itching had begun._ _ _ _ _ _

______He pulled the chief of the town aside and threw the mangled Griffin head at his feet. The faster he got out of this god forsaken village the better. He would find a river somewhere to clean up in but he couldn’t stay here another minute. He wasn’t sure why the usual looks of distrust felt so much worse right now but they were crawling up his back and he couldn’t stand it. Witcher. **Monster.**_ _ _ _ _ _

______Bag of meager money in hand and new supplies packed into his saddle he quickly pivoted and left the town, not looking back._ _ _ _ _ _

______Exhausted by his battle with the Griffin and taking care of a child for an afternoon, he made camp not far outside of town where he found a small dirty lake. Not clean enough to use for drinking water or even farming but it would be enough to get some of the blood off. He stripped and quickly scrubbed the blood out of his hair and off his body. Dunking his clothes in the lake he scrubbed until the stains were muted and the lingering smell of lavender and honey was all but gone. Slipping a new pair of pants on, he hung his remaining clothes over the fire he built under a rock outcropping and settled down for a bland meal of bread, too tired to go hunting for small game to spice up his dinner. He was just finishing settling up his bedroll for the night when he heard sounds of something small moving through the brush. It wasn’t large enough to be of any concern and Roach was still standing peacefully to the side, sleeping, so he ignored it and finished spreading out the blankets. He grew slightly more concerned as the noises seemed to be coming right for his campsite. Something was scurrying up the rock that jutted out over his fire. He grabbed his sword just in case and waited for whatever it was to attack. He was assaulted with the smell of Lavendar and Honey as bright blue eyes peered out over the rock and straight at Geralt._ _ _ _ _ _

______What was he doing up there? Jaskier was crouching down with his butt in the air. It looked like he’s gonna...Fuck. Jaskier pounced off the 20 ft cliff straight at Geralt. “Geralt! Catch me!!” He screamed laughing as he plummeted like a rock._ _ _ _ _ _

______Shit shit shit shit SHIT! This kid needs to learn some self preservation. He has entirely too much trust. I’ll need to fix him of that but first….Gerlat threw his sword away and sprinted to catch the kid before he splattered on the ground. Geralt grunted as the kid slammed right into his chest and he almost lost his balance, stumbling a few paces as he attempted to regain his footing._ _ _ _ _ _

______ <“Shit Jaskier! What are you doing here?!” Gerlat yelled. _ _ _ _ _ _

______“Geralt! I’m coming with you! Mom and Dad wouldn’t let me but I don’t care, I want to come with you!” Jaskier squirmed against him and threw his arms around his neck._ _ _ _ _ _

______“How did you even get here?” Geralt questioned._ _ _ _ _ _

______A devious look came over Jaskier’s face. “I told them I was oh so tired and had to go to bed or I might just die of exhaustion. Then when they left the tent I snuck out the back and followed Roach’s footprints!” He stated proudly. “I told you I was sneaky." ______“Jaskier, you can’t come with me.” Geralt sighed. “It’s not safe and wouldn’t you miss your parents?”_ _ _ _ _ _ ______

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______Jaskier grumbled at that. “But they won’t let you stay at the castle and you are supposed to be teaching me how to be a knight!” He accused._ _ _ _ _ _

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______“Jaskier…” Jaskier resolutely looked away._ _ _ _ _ _

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______“Jaskier, look at me.” Jaskier bit his lip and looked up with red rimmed eyes. “You need to go home to your parents.” Jaskier’s gaze dropped back to the floor. He shuffled around with his shirt for a bit and pulled something over his head and pushed it into Geralt’s hand. It was a necklace on a dainty silver chain. The pendant was a dandelion beautifully crafted from gold and silver. Geralt was afraid if he touched the thin strands of the dandelions puff they would snap off._ _ _ _ _ _

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______Geralt looked at Jaskier questioningly._ _ _ _ _ _

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______“If I can’t come with you, you have to promise to come find me. I stole this from my mom. It is a tracking charm, I have the other half.” He pulled out a necklace from beneath his shirt with the same charm at the end. “The spell doesn’t work both ways. So I can’t find you, you have to find me. You have to promise.” Jaskier looked up at Geralt, eyes glittering with hope._ _ _ _ _ _

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______Geralt closed his hand around the charm gently. “I promise.”_ _ _ _ _ _

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love all of the comments, you are all the best! I took some of my ideas for this chapter from the comments so thanks all!


	4. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier goes silent and Geralt panics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I thought this story was going to be like max 2 chapters long and around 3k. But every sentence I try to write turns into a chapter D: So here is another update that was supposed to be a small paragraph in the next chapter. Not much Geralt/Jaskier fluff in this chapter as it is mostly set up for the next chapter when they will be reunited!!

Geralt slumped against the counter, glaring at his empty tankard. At the bottom of his 5th cup, he is no closer to steadying his nerves. He doesn’t move his eyes from the bottom of the cup when a woman drops into the seat next to him and slaps his shoulder. 

“Geralt, you useless lump, what are you doing here?” Yennifer questioned as she settled down and flicked her fingers at the innkeeper for a drink. 

Geralt just grunted and went back to his staring match. 

“Let me guess. You’ve bathed, you’re wearing new clothes, and what is this?” Yennnifer ducked beneath the table and plucked a wrapped package that was leaning against Geralt’s seat. “Gasp, a gift?!”

“Shut up Yen” Geralt snatched the package back from Yennefer and shoved it further under the table outside of her reach. 

“You’re going to go visit your pretty little noble.” She grinned wide like a content cat. 

Geralt turned his glare on Yennifer but he had no one to blame for the teasing but himself. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The year after he met Jaskier he spent wandering the countryside slaying monsters, per usual, but when he returned to winter in Kaer Morhen, the school in which he was trained, he was surprised to find piles of letters scattered about his room. Eskel, another Witcher who often took shelter at the stronghold, walked past and noticed him staring dumbly at the stacks upon stacks covering every available surface. Some were covered in dust and some looked like they had been delivered just last week.

Eskel clapped him on the shoulder, “You really need to work on your people skills. Maybe if you smiled every once in a while you wouldn’t receive so many complaints.” Eskel grinned, teasing. 

Geralt picked up the closest letter, tettering on the edge of the dresser, and was surprised at the thick, expensive material the envelope was made out of. There was no wax seal to indicate a family crest and no address to show where the letter had been sent from. Curiosity piqued, he slid his nail along the flap to break the seal and unfolded the paper that fell out. 

It was a poorly drawn picture of a horse and a disproportionate stick figure riding it with what looked like a blob on the top of it’s head. 

Eskel shoved his way into Geralt’s space and cooed. “Awe, got yourself a kid Geralt? I thought I would never see the day that a stick in the mud like you landed himself a girl. Is she deaf and blind?” Eskel cackled and ran over to another stack of letters and started ripping them open. “Geralt this kid is adorable!!”

Gerlat stomped over and smacked the letters out of Eskel’s hand and forcefully removed him from the room, barring the door to the sound of Eskel’s protests from the other side. He spent the night opening the letters and found more pictures featuring him and Roach. After inspecting all of the pictures he realized the blob was supposed to be Jaskier and could normally be found atop Geralt’s head or petting Roach. Some of the pictures also contained an illegible note. Although the words were impossible to discern, they were always carefully signed “Jaskier” at the bottom. 

At a loss for what to do, he carefully folded all of the letters back up and wrapped them together in twine. Prying up a floorboard just in front of his bed he carefully placed them all in the hole in the ground and replaced the board. Kicking the dirt around the disturbed wooden floorboard to hide the traces of the dirt’s recent displacement.

This continued for years. After a few black eyes and broken bones, Eskel learned not to comment about the letters that showed up every week. But every winter, when Geralt returned to Kaer Morhen and proceeded to lock himself in his room for the next few days, Eskel just adopted a knowing grin and left food outside his door. As the year’s went on the envelopes carried less pictures and more letters with pages and pages of careful elegant script. Jaskier’s letters were structured exactly like how he talks, they included anything and everything he thought during the week. From what lessons he was currently taking to the newest fashions in the courts, most of which he took credit for.

Geralt even tried to write back a few times but his letters were always returned, unopened. In the early years, after he figured out which castle the Pancratz lived at, he tried to stop by to fulfill his promise but he was always turned away at the doors. Eventually, he gave up and resigned himself to his bursts of Jaskier every year when he returned home. 

It was late fall when Geralt turned Roach toward his winter home. Admittedly, it was a bit earlier than usual as the snow had not yet begun to fall but he had recently cleared most of the jobs in the area and was loathe the venture too far from Kaer Morhen this close to winter. A few years prior to meeting Jaskier he had been tracing rumors of a selkie and didn’t realize how far north he had wandered until the first frost. He had spent the winter in a small cave, surviving off the bats and bugs he could find. It had taken him months to feel warm again. Months of hands shaking even in scalding hot baths. If he had been feeling a bit lonely this year he would never confess to it and if he urged Roach along a little faster as he got closer, nobody would know. 

He burst through the door and grunted at the other witchers gathered around the kitchen table as he beelined to his room. Except, when he pulled the door open, it was just his empty room. No stacks of letters. He methodically checked the room to see if they had been placed elsewhere. After the third time he shook out his mattress he figured there must be some kind of mix up. So he walked back into the kitchen and buried his hand in the front of Eskel’s shirt and pulled him up out of his seat and dragged him to his room and threw him to the floor. 

“Where are the letters” he asked, tense. 

“The letters? There haven’t been any this year. We all figured you had bucked up and gone to spend the year with the kid…” he trailed off when he saw Geralt’s face.

Geralt had gone completely still. His mouth still characteristically drawn into a frown but his eyes were blown wide and blank. His stomach dropped and his mind stuttered to a stop. It was like all of the air had been sucked out of the room and his ears started ringing. Why would Jaskier stop writing? His letters had always arrived like clockwork and there was nothing in his last letter...all at once his mind jumped into overdrive. He threw himself at the floor and shoved Eskel aside. He ripped the flooring up with his fingernails and grabbed the envelope on top and tore it open. He scanned it for any sign, any clue. Nothing. Just the usual inane drivel. Jaskier got a new blue coat. Jaskier wrote a new song and had been performing it at all the taverns. Jaskier saw a cloud that looked like Roach. Nothing. No indication this would be his last letter. That means something was wrong. Something had happened. 

“Hey, Geralt, I’m sure it’s fi-” Gerlat shoved him aside and ran outside, leaping onto Roach and took off down the road. He had to find Yennifer. They wouldn’t let him into the castle, but Yennifer should be able to get a peek inside. He clutched at the dandelion slung around his neck and prayed. 

He found Yennifer in the 4th city he visited, pretending to be an apothecary for the local nobility. He had run from city to city chasing rumors of a blackhaired beauty who left behind a trail of bodies. He practically ripped her door off its hinges in his haste to get inside. She looked up surprised from the boiling pot of...something...that she was stirring. 

“Yen! I need help” he gasped, breath ragged from the constant sprint he had been in for the past couple days. 

“Geralt? What’s wrong?” Her eyes quickly scanned him up and down searching for the injury that would explain his bedraggled state. 

“I need to find him.” He ripped the necklace off and shoved it into her hands. “Please” he begged.

Surprised and more than a little concerned, Yennifer walked over to the bubbling caldron and poured its contents into a shallow wide depression in the floor. She then unceremoniously threw the necklace into the water and began chanting. The liquid warped and soon a room appeared with a boy in it. It was obviously Jaskier. he seemed to have shot up like a bamboo shoot and he was all gangly limbs and knobby elbows but the mop of brown hair and the bright blue eyes were all Jaskier. He was laying down in the middle of the room on his stomach with his legs crossed over each other in the air. His tongue was protruding from the corner of his mouth and he was scribbling something furiously onto the paper before him. Every once in a while he would pause, hum a few notes and then go back to his paper. He was composing. The tune was simple enough but catchy. 

Geralt could finally breathe again. It felt like the air he had lost back at the stronghold had been released back into the room and each breath now was like a slice of heaven to a damned man. He collapsed on the floor next to the water and soaked in the sight until a pair of black clad legs shifted into his field of view. 

Yennifer cleared her throat. “So, you gonna tell me what this is all about?”

The letters had started up again the next winter, no mention as to why they had stopped in the first place, but he had never been able to live down his moment of panic with Yennifer.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gerlat shoved the empty mug away from him. “They never let me in.”

“Ah, but this time,” she picked up the thick royal blue cardstock with swirling gold letters that Geralt had been unconsciously tracing his fingers over, “you have an invitation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter Geralt finally meets adult Jaskier!


	5. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier finally gets his hands back on his Witcher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've realized when I am writing a chapter, I hate it. When I am done, I love it. Then, after I publish it, I hate it again. So no matter how you feel about this chapter, I understand and fully agree XD.

Geralt dismounted a few yards away from the castle wall and experienced another bout of anxiety. He had stood in front of these walls many times, each ending with his hopes dashed and another reminder of exactly what he was and why he isn’t welcome. Roach could sense his discomfort and nervously side-stepped. He reached out and soothed her, stroking down her white blaze. The familiar motion settled his nerves and he continued his ministrations if only to avoid having to turn and face those gates once more. Roach got sick of his overbearing affections and tossed her head back, head butting him away from her. He sighed and uncomfortably straightened his clothes. 

The invitation he had received didn’t specify a dress code but he was pretty sure his chances of getting into the castle would drop considerably if he wore his usual thrice patched leather. Instead, he had gone to the nearest marketplace and purchased himself a high quality, if plain, black shirt with silver buttons and a pair of new matching black pants. He debated for a while if he could get by wearing his old boots but a scuffle with a wyvern that ripped a huge chunk of his left sole off answered that question. He begrudgingly purchased a new pair, supposedly the “latest fashion” if what the old crook who sold them to him said was anything to go by. Decked out in his finery he didn’t feel like himself, the new shoes pinching and uncomfortable and the buttons on the shirt seeming to snag on everything. He was about to call the whole thing off when he got a look at himself in the mirror, but Yennifer shoved him out the door with a threat if he came back before seeing Jaskier. 

He led Roach to the castle gate and got in line. A large crowd of milling nobility all waited in front of him to go through the security check. This party must be a big deal, it looked like half of the upper class from the surrounding cities were waiting to enter the castle gates and he had shown up late, meaning the other half were probably already on the inside. Security seemed to be lax, people waving their invitation in the guards direction as they guided the masses through the open doorways. Every once in a while the uppercrust would see someone they knew and there would be a friendly clapping of shoulders and shouts of surprise and greeting. Geralt stayed apart from it all, hidden slightly behind Roach. He learned the less attention he called to himself in crowds the better. Less likely to be run out of town with pitchforks. 

He made it to the gate and with no greeting shoved his invitation in the guard’s face. 

You are hereby invited to Julien Alfred Pankratz's 18th birthday party on the third day of March. You may bring one guest of your choosing. Please present this invitation at the castle gates for entry into the celebration. 

The guard moved back a few paces so he could actually see the invite that was currently being held about 2 inches from his face and without a word waived him forward. Gerlat blinked in surprise and briefly hesitated but shook it off and quickly started forward before the guard could change his mind. He was in. 

Beyond the castle gates was an open courtyard. Most likely used for vendors to sell their wares during the week, everything had been cleared out and streamers had been hung everywhere. Piles of food lay over almost every surface and guests opulently dressed in ball gowns and embroidered vests were engaged in deep conversation. After seeing the jewels woven in the ladies hair sparkle in the fading sunlight and the golden cufflinks glinting on each of the men’s arms, Geralt knew he was woefully under dressed for the occasion. Maybe if he layed low, they would just think him a servant and wouldn’t kick him out. 

He almost jolted out of his skin when a firm hand smacked him on the back in greeting, the tall man nodding at him as he walked passed. He stared wide eyed and spun around when it happened again, this time with an older gentleman. He was about to grab the offender and demand an explanation when a woman curtsied, “Witcher”, she greeted and then moved on. 

Thoroughly confused, he wished he hadn’t given up Roach to the stableman at the gate so he could hide behind her bulk while he figured out what was going on. He heard a shout of joy and with ever mounting confusion a little girl ran up to him and shoved something in his hand before running back to her mother. He was sure he was going to receive a glare or at least a veiled threat from the mother. But the kind looking woman just shook her head with a smile, grabbed her daughter’s hand and sauntered, off not about to miss her opportunity to make connections at the prestigious party. 

He glanced down at his palm. It was a coin.

Feeling fully out of his element he continued toward the castle in search of Jaskier. Men and women parted out of his way per usual, except, instead of looks of fear and disdain, it was with respectful nods and curtsies. 

He sped up his pace and was practically running through the crowd when he saw him. 

Jaskier was surrounded by a group of young women, a self confident smirk on his face as he leaned in and whispered in one of their ears. She giggled and blushed and his smirk grew wider. He was dressed in a deep blue doublet with golden strands laced through the material. Tight black pants were tucked into shiny black boots, which looked suspiciously like the pair Geralt had recently bought. His hair was perfectly coiffed and his eyes sparkling. 

He must have felt the intensity of Geralt’s stare as he glanced up. When he caught Geralt’s eyes his mouth split open into a grin and his eyes lit up. 

“Gerlat!” he yelled as he shoved the women out of the way and came sprinting over. Sure he was about to be pounced on, Geralt planted his feet and braced himself just as Jaskier feet left the ground and he plowed into Geralt’s chest, squeezing tight and murmured into his shirt “I missed you.”

Geralt awkwardly patted Jaskiers shoulders and mumbled something resembling a greeting. Jaskier reluctantly let go and grabbed his hand pulling him along behind him.

“Come on! The real party is in here! I have so many things to show you! You are going to love this castle, there are swords and pointy things everywhere, right up your alley. There are weapons hung on all of the walls and suits of armor lining the halls. I mean who thought that was a good idea. An enemy breaks into the castle to pillage and plunder, but aha! We have the advantage of money, time and ingenuity which equates to more weapons and better armor. But...OH NO! They have armed themselves with the piles of weapons and armor we have littered literally everywhere. Now what are we to do? I mean it is just ridiculous right?” Jaskier babbled. Geralt’s mouth quirked up into a smile and let himself be pulled along when Jaskier suddenly stopped and peered around Geralt’s back. 

“What is that?” Jaskier asked. “Is that...a present...FOR ME?!” Jaskier squealed and practically hopped up and down. 

Geralt awkwardly scratched the back of his head and he held the wrapped package he had been toting around out towards Jaskier. 

He had never seen anything be taken apart so quickly. It was scary how thoroughly efficient Jaskier was at dismantling the wrapping. He might have had a good career as a butcher, Geralt mused. 

Jaskier’s hands stilled and he gasped. “Oh, Geralt, it’s lovely”. He held up the deep black lute, etched vine patterns swirling around the outside. “Where did you get it, I’ve never seen one so delicately made.” He brushed his fingers lightly across the strings and a pure note reverberated out of the instrument. 

“Oh um, there was a thing with the elves.” Geralt mumbled.

Jaskier just grinned and with a devious smile grabbed Geralt’s hand once more and pulled him into the large ballroom and up to the makeshift stage in the center of the room where he climbed up and silenced the band already playing there. He held up his present and began to play the song Geralt had heard him humming that day through the spell. Everyone in the room went silent and turned towards the makeshift stage and began clapping their hands and stomping their feet to the beat. Even more people from the outside started pushing their way into the room to join in with the festivities. Jaskier looked down at him and cheekily winked before he started singing. Geralt gasped. The song was about him. As Jaskier reached the chorus and everyone belted out together “Toss a coin to your witcher, oh valley of plenty” he finally understood what had happened outside. Jaskier had made him into some kind of folk hero. 

When Jaskier finished, he ran back down and grabbed Geralt’s hand once more. His face was a little flushed with excitement. “She plays beautifully.” He glanced down lovingly at the lute. 

“Jaskier-” Geralt began but was interrupted by a pretty young thing barreling in between them. 

“Would you like to dance?” she asked breathlessly, obviously a little nervous. Geralt just puffed himself up and glared at her. She shrunk back and began nervously stuttering “I mean, I guess I-I’ll just go.” and with that she ran off in the other direction. 

Jaskier just looked on, amused. “Um, Geralt. I think she was asking me.”

“No! Your MINE.” He practically yelled. Everyone stopped and turned towards him. Oops, not what he meant. Jaskier looked a little surprised, cheeks dusted with a slight smattering of pink. 

“I mean, you’re mine for the night.” He tried to recover. Worse Geralt, that was SO much worse. There was some light tittering around the room and Jaskier was now quite flushed. 

“Dammit Jaskier, you can’t just invite me to a party with...with...people and leave me alone.” Geralt desperately attempted to explain. 

Jaskier, still slightly flushed, just laughed and grabbed his arm. “Come on you dork.” He pulled him out onto the veranda away from the prying eyes. He led Geralt over to a bench and once he had sat down he threw himself down onto the bench, folded his hands behind his head and laid it down in Geralt’s lap. His eyes were drawn up to the dandelion necklace that was peeking out from Geralt’s low cut shirt. His fingers reached up to trace it. 

“You kept the necklace.” he whispered. 

“You asked me to.” he said, a bit confused.

Jaskier laughed, “Yeah, when I was _seven _. I didn’t actually expect you to still have it. You know, these necklaces were how my mother found me that day in the woods.” Jaskier pulled out the matching necklace. “When I went to go follow you I figured if my mom still had the other half then she would just follow me and take me back. So I took the pair with me and when you wouldn’t let me come with you I thought you could use it to find me. I mean, I didn’t know it was “rare” or “priceless” or a “family relic”. My mom was so mad at me when I got back. I must have been grounded for like a month. And it was all for nothing. You never came looking for me.” Jaskier turned his face away from Geralt but he still caught the slight sheen of unshed tears resting in the corner of his eye.__

____

“I tried to write and visit.” Geralt attempted to soothe. 

____

“You tried...Geralt, I was sneaking letters out of this castle to you when I couldn’t even write, and in over 10 years you couldn’t find some way to get one to me? I mean I stopped writing to you for a full year hoping that that would spur you to break in to make sure I was alright or something.” He said. 

____

Geralt didn’t mention that if Yennifer hadn’t been able to locate Jaskier, he would have done just that. 

____

“Jaskier…” I care about you, I would have come if I could. But he couldn’t get the words to leave his mouth. Instead he softly turned Jaskier’s face back towards him and wiped the tears from his eyes. Jaskier just looked up imploringly and seemingly found what he was looking for. He reached up, tangled his hands in Geralt’s hair and pulled his head down brushing their lips against each other. Jaskier began to slip his fingers from the long white hair, but Geralt wasn’t done yet. With a growl he smashed his mouth back down hard on Jaskier’s, thrusting his tongue into his mouth. Jaskier’s surprised whimper quickly turned into a moan and he shifted himself up into a sitting position, legs spreading wide to straddle Geralt’s thick thighs. Geralt stopped plundering Jaskier’s mouth long enough to rest his hands on Jaskier’s hips and pull him flush against him. The motion brought his face near Jaskier’s pale throat and he began mouthing at the expanse of unmarked skin, sharp teeth nipping at his neck. A loud squeak had them jolting apart when the door to the balcony got knocked slightly open and noise from the rambunctious party filtered out into the night. Jaskier laughed breathlessly and awkwardly shifted himself off Gerlat’s lap and back onto the bench. 

____

“If only my parents could see us now. They would throw you out by your ear. Finally letting you inside the walls just to have you defile their son within minutes of arrival.” He joked. 

____

“What made them change their minds.” Geralt wondered out loud. 

____

“Oh, they didn’t change their minds about anything. My parents told me if I was so set on you then when I was 18, if I was still so obsessed, they would let you in with their blessing. I don’t think they realized then that I was so stubborn.” Jaskier mused. 

____

Geralt pulled him close again “I’m glad you were.”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter is written and will be posted tonight or tomorrow! You are all amazing and I'm glad you stuck with this so far!


	6. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The creature finds Jaskier before Geralt does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!! First fanfic officially completed. This fic started out as a self indulgence that I posted in case someone needed the same fix. Thanks for sticking with it all the way through!

Geralt stood at the bottom of the cliff and sized it up. He had recently been hired to take care of a basilisk that had nested at the top of the mountain. There was an easy sloping path on the other side of the mountain that led to the plateau but he liked to get his blood pumping before a fight. It sharpened his reflexes. Plus, he would lose a day traveling to the other side and this mountain resided close to Jaskier’s home. Ever since the party he had been allowed to drop by when he was in the area and he had gone too long without his Jaskier fix. He rolled up his sleeves and began to pull himself up the mountain. 

It was around midday when Geralt finally reached the top of the cliff, the climb having been a little more lengthy than anticipated but invigorating. Gerlat stuck his hand up over the edge and gripped the top of the cliff to pull himself up but his hand slipped on something sticky and wet. He carefully repositioned his feet so he could use them to push himself over the edge so he didn’t have to rely on his slick hands. He landed in a sea of blood. It was splattered over the plateau in every direction and at the center of the morbid painting was a broken body. 

The picture in front of his eyes fell into place like disjointed pieces. His mind could process each of them separately but his brain refused to put them together. Brown hair soaked through and lying limp. Blue eyes staring blankly off to the side devoid of life. Fingers clawed and sunk into the ground, as if trying to pull the body away from something when the spark that gave them life was snuffed out. Mouth twisted and frozen in horror.

For the second time in his life, Geralt’s world ground to a halt. Except this time instead of panic there was nothing. He was nothing. It was as if his ability to feel had just been carved out of his chest. He heard a hiss as his vision began to blur and his mind slipped into darkness.

When he slid back into himself he was slumped on the ground with his head in his hands and he was covered in blood. Chunks of meat were strewn everywhere, the blood streaming from the pieces of flesh joining the splattering of blood that had begun to dry on the cliffs. The pieces of the creature were haphazardly strewn everywhere except in a circle around the body. As if they were placed as a homage to the fallen boy. Gerlat’s nails were broken and torn as if he had ripped the basilisk apart with his bare hands, which...he might have done. His sword lay untouched in its sheath and he himself was covered in blood.

He must be wounded, he thought blankly, as liquid was dripping down his face. He reached up with shaking hands and drew it across his face, the tears leaking from his eyes mixing with the blood on his hands, causing it to run in pink rivets down his wrists. He stared at them with muted fascination, having been under the impression Witcher’s were not able to cry. Too disassociated to feel anything but mild curiosity, he reached down to try and wipe it off on the patch of grass but his fingers were cut open by a dandelion necklace left forgotten on the ground, intricate golden pieces crushed and sharp. A broken twin to the one resting around his neck.

That was when his chest ripped open. He gasped in pain and wailed as his heart wrenched apart.

He didn’t know how long he laid there, Arms wrapped around himself in an effort to keep from splintering apart. Just as dawn was starting to break over the mountain, voices could be heard coming up the path. Geralt didn’t think he could move if he wanted to so he stayed curled in on himself. A couple of the voices hurried past him to the scene of the carnage. A pair of hands rested on his back and he flinched so hard his stiffened muscles creaked. The hands retreated, and the voices got more animated. Although he could hear them, they seemed muffled like they were filtered through water. 

“This kid, one of these days he is going to get himself killed.”

“What was he thinking going after the Witcher?”

“I don’t know, he’s always been a bit eccentric. And everyone knows the Witcher was asking for it. He kept turning him away when he asked to go with him on his monster hunts. There is no telling Jaskier no. Just biding your time until he sneaks behind your back and does it anyway.”

“Better get the little bugger home, he’s bleeding something fierce. I mean a basilisk?!”

“His mother’s going to love this”

They all groaned. 

Wait. Gerlat jerked his head up. _GOING _to get himself killed?!__

____

Jaskier woke up caged in by thick arms, his head resting on a firm chest. He glanced up and locked eyes with Geralt. He winced. 

____

“So I guess that didn’t end up going well.”

____

“Hmm” Geralk grunted.

____

“It wouldn’t help if I said sorry would it?” He hazarded a guess.

____

Geralt just glared at him. 

____

“Well I can promise you that I will never go looking for a basilisk again. Scouts honor! You’re at fault too you know. Taking your time making it to the mountain. It was my intention to follow you. But noooooo, you just had to take your time moseying along. What were you doing anyway? Smelling the roses?!” Jaskier flopped back and winced, forgetting that even if he had only been paralized, he was still pretty banged up from his encounter with the basilisk. 

____

“Who knew it would get so mad when I accidentally stepped on its tail. Who just leaves their tail in the middle of the road anyway? He was asking for it,” he whined petulantly. 

____

Geralt rolled his eyes, exasperated. 

____

“So anyways,” Jaskier chuckled awkwardly, “not that this isn’t nice and all, I mean you have really nice arms and although your chest could be a bit softer it doesn’t make a horrible pillow. But I’m gonna have to get up sometime you know and although I am mildly tender right now, I’m not an invalid, you gonna let go of me?” He asked, tapping at the arms keeping him trapped.

____

Geralt just tightened his grip.

____

“Never.”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reading back through I realize that I sacrificed some grammar for the quick posting so I will be going back through the chapters to edit for grammar. If you enjoy the quirk of run on sentences and misplaced commas feel free to download it before revisions. As always, you all are the best!


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